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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27690206">The Second Task</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffind0r_d0rk/pseuds/gryffind0r_d0rk'>gryffind0r_d0rk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Harry Potter is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Short One Shot, Triwizard Tournament</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:21:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,746</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27690206</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffind0r_d0rk/pseuds/gryffind0r_d0rk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"When he tried to cut the ropes, a merman laughed and pulled him away from her. 'That one is not yours,' he said in a harsh voice. So Harry, though confused, turned to Cho, but was again stopped by the merman. Harry swam over to the little girl, thinking maybe he was wrong, though he really had no idea who she was. The merman grabbed his wrist before he'd even made it halfway, and pointed at Malfoy, making Harry's mouth drop."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Second Task</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a short one-shot for you all to enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry could hardly sit still, he was so jittery and nervous. The second task was in a few hours, and Harry still had no idea what he was going to do. Hermione had left about an hour ago, leaving Ron and Harry to search the many books in the library by themselves. The ginger could barely keep his eyes open, and Harry felt bad for keeping him up so late. </p>
<p>"Ron, why don't you head to bed, and I'll figure this out myself?" Harry suggested after hearing the boy yawn yet again, something he seemed to be doing every few seconds. </p>
<p>"No Harry, it's alright. I gotta help you..." Harry was barely able to keep Ron's head from falling on the thick book underneath him as his head dropped in his half-awake state. </p>
<p>"No offense mate, but you aren't much help like this. Go up and get some sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow. Well, later today I supposed, seeing as it's well past midnight." The redhead nodded, and shut the book he had been 'reading.' He walked out of the library, nearly running into a bookshelf once or twice. Harry sighed, and looked back down at his book. It was going to be a long night.</p>
<p>+  +  +</p>
<p>Harry awoke to something painfully poking his side, and he grunted, looking up. Dobby was there, his face inches from Harry's. Harry jumped back and fell off his chair.</p>
<p>"Dobby, what are you doing here?" he said standing up, rubbing his eyes.</p>
<p>"Harry Potter needs to hurry! The task starts in ten minutes, and-"</p>
<p>"Ten minutes," Harry croaked, realizing he still had nothing. It would take ten minutes just to get there, there was no time left to find anything.</p>
<p>"Hurry Harry Potter, you is supposed to be at the lake with the other champions," the house-elf squeaked, looking up at Harry.</p>
<p>"It's no use Dobby, I've got nothing."</p>
<p>"No sir, Dobby can help! You is just looking in the wrong books, sir! Dobby knows how to help Harry Potter!"</p>
<p>How then?" Harry asked skeptically, eyeing the house-elf.</p>
<p>"You has to eat this, sir," Dobby replied, opening his palms to reveal what looked like a slimy rat tail. "It is gillyweed!"</p>
<p>"Uhhhh...why?" It looked absolutely atrocious, and Harry was bloody well going to have a good reason to stick that thing in his mouth, let alone chewing and swallowing it.</p>
<p>"It will make Harry Potter breathe underwater, sir!" Hesitantly, Harry took the gillyweed and put it in his pocket. </p>
<p>"Alright, thanks Dobby. I'd better be off now."</p>
<p>"Bye Harry Potter! Dobby wishes you good luck!" Harry nodded, and left the library, rushing to the lake as fast as he could. When he got there, he was out of breath and sweating slightly. He rolled his eyes as Percy told him off, and went with the other champions to take their places. He saw Ron in the stands, waving and cheering for him, but no Hermione. Odd.</p>
<p>The whistle blew, and Harry scrambled to get his shoes and socks off, then stepped into the water. It was ice cold, sending a shiver up the Gryffindor's spine. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the gillyweed, and stuck it into his mouth, chewing quickly. Harry had no idea how <em>this</em> would allow him to breathe underwater, but it was his last hope.</p>
<p>The gillyweed was flavorless, though the texture made him want to vomit. It was smooth, but course, almost like a tongue. The sliminess was especially off-putting, and Harry may or may not have gagged slightly. He could hear mocks and catcalls from the stands, most likely directed at him. He knew he probably looked stupid.</p>
<p>The feeling came so sudden, and Harry found himself gasping for breath. He was suffocating, he thought. What in the name of Merlin did Dobby give him? But then he felt them, flapping in the wind. <em>Gills</em>, he had gills.</p>
<p>Harry lunged into the water and sighed in content when he could breathe again. The water didn't feel as cold as before, which Harry was unquestionably grateful for. He started swimming and noticed he was faster than he ought to be. Looking down at his feet, Harry noticed he had flippers as well. He tested them out a bit, before continuing with his task, which he only had about fifty-five minutes to complete. Harry wondered how long it would take since he was still unsure of what exactly he was supposed to be looking for.</p>
<p>After agonizing minutes, Harry swam upon a crowd of merpeople, singing and calling the champions towards them. He approached cautiously, in case this was a trap. But then he saw four people tied to a statue they were all surrounding. </p>
<p>After a few moments of thought, Harry concluded that he was supposed to retrieve one of them and that none of the other champions had made it yet, seeing as there were still four. Harry swam up to the hostages. He recognized Hermione, Cho, and Malfoy, but there was another girl, who Harry deemed to be Fleur's sister. The sliver, glistening hair made it fairly obvious.</p>
<p>Ignoring the blond, Harry eyed Hermione and Cho, questioning which was the one he was supposed to take. Malfoy was probably Krum's or something, and Cho was most likely Cedric's, so Harry went for 'Mione since that was clearly the most logical answer. He didn't even like Cho much anymore, it had only been a small crush, nothing serious.</p>
<p>The Gryffindor swam up to Hermione and looked around for something to help with the rope. He noticed a sharp rock at the bottom and quickly retrieved it before making his way back to his bushy-haired friend.</p>
<p>When he tried to cut the ropes, a merman laughed and pulled him away from her. "That one is not yours," he said in a harsh voice. So Harry, though confused, turned to Cho, but was again stopped by the merman. Harry swam over to the little girl, thinking maybe he was wrong, though he really had no idea who she was. The merman grabbed his wrist before he'd even made it halfway, and pointed at <em>Malfoy</em>, making Harry's mouth drop.</p>
<p>Harry shook his head a little, wondering how the merman could have made such a big mistake, and went back to Hermione. The merman let out a frustrated grunt and pulled him towards the ferret, Harry struggling in his grip. </p>
<p>By now, Cedric had made his way over, his head in a large bubble, making his head seem wider and more misshapen than it really was. He raised an eyebrow at Harry and the merman, but said nothing and took out a knife, freeing Cho and dragging her to the surface.</p>
<p>Not even five minutes later, a man with a shark's head Harry assumed was Krum appeared, and Harry watched expecting him to take Malfoy, but the shark-man went straight to Hermione, making Harry's jaw drop yet again. Sighing in defeat, Harry went towards Malfoy, rubbing his wrist once the merman let go.</p>
<p>Harry used the rock to free the blond, and pulled him upwards, scowling the entire way, ignoring the funny feeling in his chest, or how he liked having the boy in his arms. When they were near the surface, Harry could feel the effects of the gillyweed wearing off, causing Harry to push just a little harder. The champion was now struggling for a breath, his lungs on fire and screaming at him. The water was slowly becoming icy again, prickling Harry like a thousand knives.</p>
<p>When Harry's head broke the surface, he gasped for a breath, taking in all the air he could, and coughing slightly. Malfoy opened his eyes, spitting out some water, then turned to glare at Harry.</p>
<p>"Seriously Pot-"</p>
<p>"Not a word about this, Malfoy," Harry growled, cutting him off. He cursed under his breath when he could feel himself going a bit red, and turned, swimming back to the bank where the judges were, Malfoy following behind him. He ignored the people in the stands, and Hermione giggling behind her hand, wrapped in a towel.</p>
<p>"Potter," Malfoy said, but Harry ignored him. He didn't want to deal with him and his taunts right now. But the slimy ferret just kept repeating his name, until Harry whirled around in a very Snape-like manner.</p>
<p>"What," Harry whisper-screamed, scowling at the blond.</p>
<p>"Why me?" Harry wondered how many times he was going to be asked that today, because surely most people wouldn't miss their enemies.</p>
<p>"I said no talking. Now shut up, let's get out of this bloody lake, I'm freezing." Luckily, Malfoy didn't say anything, just followed Harry out of the chilly water. Madame Pomfrey gave them both thick blankets, and Harry went over to Dumbledore, wrapping the blanket loosely around his shoulders.</p>
<p>"Headmaster, I think you may have made a mistake. I should have had to free Ron or something, not...Malfoy." The man smiled down at him, giving him a knowing look that Harry loathed.</p>
<p>"Harry, I assure you no mistake was made. I chose quite wisely if I do say so myself." </p>
<p>Harry huffed, and looked back at the shivering blond with Madame Pomfrey, who was practically forcing a potion down his throat. He turned back to Dumbledore and raised an eyebrow, to which the man responded by chuckled softly.</p>
<p>"HARRY JAMES POTTER, YOU GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" Madame Pomfrey shrieked, and Harry sighed and walked over, noticing Fleur break through the water, holding her sister in her arms, and started coming towards the others. He looked back to Madame Pomfrey, who had a potion in her hands and was waiting impatiently for him. </p>
<p>When he reached her, she shoved the potion down his throat. It was hot and immediately warmed his insides up. He sighed, relishing the feeling. Someone cleared their throat behind him, causing Harry to turn around. It was Malfoy, enveloped in the thick blanket. </p>
<p>"What is it now?" Harry sighed.</p>
<p>"I just...I don't know why I'm here actually," he muttered, rocking back and forth on his feet. Harry saw Dumbledore wink at him before returning to his conversation with Bagman, and he blushed despite himself.</p>
<p>"You know what, screw this," the raven-haired boy said, grabbing Malfoy's shirt and pulling him into a kiss. He let go after a few seconds, and turned around, walking over to Hermione as though nothing had happened, leaving Malfoy stumbling backward slightly with wide eyes.</p>
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